This novella was a rollercoaster ride, to say the least. I will first note that I used this site https://booksvooks.com/agostino-pdf-alberto-moravia.html to access the missing pages if anyone is looking for another copy. Now, to the novel.
There seems to be a bit of an oedipus complex in both this book, and Swann’s, though Agostino is much less subtle. It’s true that coming into one’s sexuality is a part of coming of age and Agostino is certainly experiencing this, as spurred by the lewd comments from the group of boys (eg. “these uncouth jokes aroused in him an unexpected, almost cruel feeling of pleasure” [29]) with whom he begins to spend time. However, his focus on his mother’s body was definitely disturbing to read. In fact, everyone’s focus on his mother’s body (eg. “‘we snuck under her cabin to see her getting undressed, but she lowered her dress right on top of where we were looking and you couldn’t see a thing . . . she’s got nice legs . . . and those tits . . .'” [from missing pages, no pg. number available]) renders Agostino’s mother into no more than a body. Not ideal. I also find it interesting that she is referred to as ‘the mother’ and not ‘his mother’ throughout the novel, like Moravia’s trying to create a separation between the son and mother so the sexualization is slightly less weird? Definitely something to consider.
Agostino is drawn to the boys because they’re of a lower class (eg. “Agostino noticed that the boys, four in all, were dressed in clothes that were ragged and torn” [23]), but also likely because he’s an only child without a father (hence his intense attachment to his mother) and they form an odd brotherhood. This concept of brotherhood is prevalent in many stories depicting adolescents; Steven King, for example, leans heavily on the trope in works like Stand By Me and It. Perhaps what Agostino sees in these boys is an opportunity to bond with children his age that unleash the more rambunctious side he must keep contained within ‘proper’ society. It’s also interesting how violence is normalized within these brotherhoods; “the other boy […] placed his fists against Agostino’s chest, and with two hard blows to his stomach, almost knocked him out and left him gasping for air” (21). A unique spin on the sentiment ‘bullies make bullies’. In this case, violence should apparently be met with more violence.
Lastly, I wanted to touch on the part where Agostino is in the boat with Saro. This part was the hardest to read, and easily the most disturbing. This adult male preys on the boys seemingly quite often, and they’re completely desensitised to it. Not only that, but they victim blame Agostino, as if it’s his fault or an indication of his sexual orientation because he chose to get in the boat. He’s clearly confused and traumatised; “Agostino still couldn’t fully understand what had happened. Everything was obscure both in and around him, as if rather than the sunlit beach, sky, and sea, there were only shadows, fog, and vague menacing shapes” (from missing pages, no pg. number available). I think this part could have been left out of the novella, but perhaps Moravia elected to include it as a way of saying that this stuff does happen and should be talked about more? I really don’t know what to think. There are certainly many themes packed into this quick read.
My questions are, why do you think Agostino’s mother is referred to as ‘the mother’? Do you think it’s intentional or a result of the English translation?
Hi Neko! Thank you for your post. I think you mentioned an especially noteworthy interconnection between class, identity, and Agostino’s motivation of joining the boys. Indeed, there is a contrast to some extent that attracts Agostino to experience something unfamiliar, contributing significantly to his growth towards adulthood. To answer your question, I believe it is referred to as “the mother” because his mother is in an incomparable and special place in his heart, supporting the author to indicate the uniqueness of the character intentionally.
Hey, I loved reading your blog post! Your question is super interesting, and I think that “the mother” translation is intentional. I agree with what you said in your blog post that it may have something to do with keeping them disconnected because of sexualization. Even though Agostino’s mother was his mother, he cants see her like that anymore because he is not who he used to be and can’t unsee his mother for what he used to see her as. Perhaps his own image of his mother in his mind has changed, and he doesn’t see her as the motherhood figure he loved before.
Hi Neko,
I feel like we have very similar ways of thinking. These are all things that I have also highlighted in my notes. One question I have for you is why do you think Agostino is drawn to these boys because they are of a lower socio-economic class? At first, I thought that maybe it was because he wants to stand out and be ‘better’ than the other boys. However, he started to lose parts of himself in an attempt to blend with these boys, contradicting what I first believed. Could it be that money can’t buy happiness, and these boys have a relationship that Agostino did not have despite not having the same economic resources?
I noticed the same connection between Swann’s Way and Agostino, though I wonder if the boy in Swann’s Way would have had the same experiences as Agostino if he were older. Agostino is 13, which is around the time when boys are at puberty and therefore have many hormonal changes. The boy in Swann’s Way could have been younger, therefore not yet having thoughts about sex. Another note I had is, would Agostino have had this same attraction to his mother if he had other women/girls in his life that he was exposed to?
Lastly, to answer your question, I thought that because the narrator is in the third person and also refers to Agostino as “the boy” and “the son”, it was a deliberate attempt to make the narrator seem unbiased. However, since the narrator is only narrating Agostino’s thoughts and not the mother’s (see what I did there?) readers still feel closer to Agostino.
Great work, Neko!
Hi Neko! I also thought of the Oedipus complex upon reading about Agostino’s relationship with his mother. I think the author chose to refer to his mother as “the mother” possibly to signify Agostino losing himself. After so much struggling and confusion, he probably didn’t feel like himself anymore, and didn’t see her as his mother. Especially with his new-found attraction, it would not have felt comfortable being attracted to someone so closely related.
test